Snap Judgments on Each Player's Future

[timvp]

Tim Duncan
All in all, great season. The Spurs should hand him a blank contract and tell him to fill it out.

Manu Ginobili
Per-minute production-wise, Ginobili had a very good season. He still showed the ability to come up big in big games. Unfortunately, for the first time ever, he wasn't much of a positive difference-maker in the playoffs. That said, it's great to have him coming back another season.

Tony Parker
Memorable season. Played some of his best basketball ever. He needed to have one of the best postseason runs in NBA history for a point guard for the Spurs to win a championship. Didn't happen.

Stephen Jackson
He's obviously slowed down since 2003 but he still has his way with pressure and is a great teammate. It'll be a blast to root for him all of next season.

Kawhi Leonard
What a great rookie season. Simply amazing. Defense was really good in the playoffs. Offensively he proved to be a pressure shooter with budding all-around skills. It was a pleasure to watch him grow this season.

Tiago Splitter
I'm still pretty high on him. Yeah, he became a free throw liability once the pressure rose in the playoffs. Yeah, some flaws were outed by the Thunder (namely an inability to postup smaller players). Yeah, his defense fell off a cliff in the playoffs. All that said, considering it was basically his rookie season and considering how well he played at points this season, it's way, way too early to give up on him. Bring him back and try to iron out the kinks.

Danny Green
Bad ending but I like him as a player. He shot damn well for a long stretch of time. The Spurs should bring him back for his shooting ability alone. He shot blanks in the WCF but slumps happen to the best of shooters. Add in the fact that he's a capable of defender with some rough playmaking ability and there's a chance he turns into a top 20 shooting guard. Anything less than $2.5 million per year for him would be a major bargain.

Boris Diaw
I was pretty damn high on him until the Thunder series. Then OKC gave a blueprint on how to defend Diaw: Ignore him. If you don't defend him, he still won't shoot and you can defend 5-on-4 to close up his passing lanes. Maybe a full season with the Spurs would have helped him but I'm wary. He strikes me more as a rich-man Bonner than a playoff warrior you want to go to battle with. Then again, when it comes to stretch fours in the NBA, the pickings are slim. If you can re-sign Diaw for a reasonable rate, you probably gotta do it. But anything north of $3.5 million per season would make me think twice.

Gary Neal
His cheap salary makes it obvious that he needs to be brought back next season. That said, I don't know where he fits. The Spurs need to look for a real backup point guard. Neal can be the third point guard. What makes the most sense is to make him the third point guard and third shooting guard ... but he's probably too good for the role. If a team starved for shooting wants him in a trade, I'd listen.

DeJuan Blair
Blair, like Neal, is a no-brainer to bring back at his salary. He's not a very good fit on the roster but he's a guy who can eat a lot of regular season minutes at a reasonable level. In fact, putting him in the starting lineup for a stretch is a good way to keep stress off of Duncan's knees because Blair can assume the low post scoring role. Also like Neal, if a team calls inquiring about him in a trade, you don't hang up the phone.

Patrick Mills
If he wants to come back for his player option (which would pay him the minimum), that's a good contract for the Spurs. Is he good enough to be the full-time backup point guard? I'm not convinced but there's a definitely a chance. In fact, if both he and Neal return, I think Mills should be the backup point guard. If Mills wants to leave to try to score a better contract and opt out, I wish him well.

James Anderson
Goodbye.

Matt Bonner
The number one priority of the offseason should be to get this guy off the team. He's the most dangerous type player: Bonner is good enough in the regular season to earn a consistent role, however HE CHOKES LIKE GOT DAMN CLOCKWORK IN THE PLAYOFFS. By any means necessary, Pop needs to get rid of this bad habit.

[TimmehC]

James Anderson
Goodbye.

Matt Bonner
The number one priority of the offseason should be to get this guy off the team. He's the most dangerous type player: Bonner is good enough in the regular season to earn a consistent role, however HE CHOKES LIKE GOT DAMN CLOCKWORK IN THE PLAYOFFS. By any means necessary, Pop needs to get rid of this bad habit.

Couldn't agree more. If ever there were an amnesty candidate(especially with RJ gone), Matty B is it.

[DPG21920]

What about Pop's future IYO?

[silverblk mystix]

What about Pop?

[z0sa]

What about Pop's future

Continue being overrated.

Agree with all except Danny Green and to a lesser extent, Manu and Kawhi.

Green choked extremely hard and couldnt manage 8 minutes in the final 2 games. I'm indifferent to the dude at this point, especially considering his defense was subpar for long stretches as well as his offense being non-existent.

Manu I don't see how you can down him in any way. He played his heart out and producedwhen it mattered, without question.

Finally Kawhi, I love the dude but he always has a low/negative +/- and I'm not sure what his role ultimately will be moving forward. Basically, I can't make a snap judgment for him right now or any time soon.

[DPG21920]

Also, I think Tiago needs to be on the table. I am about as big of a Tiago fan as you will find, but I don't see him flourishing here. He definitely has the tools to flourish in the NBA, but I am not sure if that is here and I am not sure the time is now.

With his age and those factors in mind, if a team is pretty high on him and it can net you a solid draft pick I think the Spurs should listen (even if that means taking a step back from a contention standpoint in the next two years- but he was used sparingly anyways and the Spurs still got to the WCF.)

[Bruno]

Next season backup PG will be De Colo. If you read what his agent is saying, it's almost sure Spurs will sign him.

[Jumi]

I'm starting to sour on Pop as well.

[SA210]

RIP Blake

[Jumi]

This team needs something different.

[timvp]

Pop
Coach as long as Duncan is around and then figure it out from there. If the Spurs are a contender by some miracle, Pop could just keep coaching as long as he wants. If it's rebuilding, Pop can ride off into the sunset.

[cheguevara]

I'm glad ppl finally seeing the light on Bonner. El Che been preaching this for years.

kinda disappointed it takes so long to ppl realize what took El Che a few moments

Bonner is a NBDL caliber player playing prime NBA minutes. If someone does not see a problem there, they are in a pretty sad state themselves.

on the fact that every opponent that faces a Bonner 1-1 defense starts salivating and eyes light up. Then proceeds to break Bonner's ankles and 90% of the time results in points for their team.

on the fact that Bonner always looks over at Pop everytime he does something stupid which is 80% of the time.

on the fact when he faces a hand in his face while shooting 3s. His % drops to around 20%.

Bonner is known around the league as the guy who when is on the floor, you give the ball to whoever he is guarding. He makes basketball easy... for the opponent. This is a known fact which was made famous with Rasheed Wallace.

6 ing years and this does not change.

I will stop hating on Bonner when he is gone from the team or chained to the bench. It's all on Pop's hands.

go back and watch the last 3 playoff runs. Bonner sucked in every single one of them.

Tell me 1 current spur player not named RJ that has sucked on a more consistent basis?

[DeadlyDynasty]

^
95% of this board has hated Bonner for years...way to go out on a limb there, champ

[timtonymanu]

What do you think about Cory Joseph, timvp?

Otherwise, the only player that really HAS to go is Matt Bonner. Amnesty please. Anderson isn't gonna be brought back anyway either.

[timtonymanu]

95% of this board has hated Bonner for years...way to go out on a limb there, champ

The last Richard Jefferson like player on the team. I don't care if the front office tells him a big " you!." I won't feel sorry for him and I want him gone.

[silverblk mystix]

I'm glad ppl finally seeing the light on Bonner. El Che been preaching this for years.

kinda disappointed it takes so long to ppl realize what took El Che a few moments

Too lazy to look for my quotes--but I'm right there with you regardin Bonner.

[cheguevara]

^
95% of this board has hated Bonner for years...way to go out on a limb there, champ

not relevant.

I wanted him and RJ OFF THE ING TEAM.(like what the OP is asking for now) Not even in practice or even in summer camp. Him and RJ are just bad ing luck.

[DPG21920]

Timvp: Are there any bigs in this draft outside of Davis you are high on?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

We need another legit big man.
Would like to bring diaw back, I think with a full training camp he will be more conformable shooting in spots

[doobs]

Neal and Blair should be traded IMO precisely because their contracts are "worth" bringing back. For many teams, their skills would be very valuable and a no-brainer at that price. For the Spurs, not so much. Trade them.

[DPG21920]

I guess where I am going with this is, is their a big man good enough in the lottery outside of Davis to put Kawhi on the table?

[Josepatches_]

ABout Tiago he should start with Duncan and he should play 25+ minutes per game.
If not we should trade him.

He's not a backup center.He never was. He played 2 years here.If he's not ready he never will be ready for Pop so we should explore options to trade him. He has value for sure.

[DarrinS]

DeJuan Blair
Blair, like Neal, is a no-brainer to bring back at his salary. He's not a very good fit on the roster but he's a guy who can eat a lot of regular season minutes at a reasonable level. In fact, putting him in the starting lineup for a stretch is a good way to keep stress off of Duncan's knees because Blair can assume the low post scoring role. Also like Neal, if a team calls inquiring about him in a trade, you don't hang up the phone.

Thought you were setting up a really good joke there.

[timvp]

Green choked extremely hard and couldnt manage 8 minutes in the final 2 games. I'm indifferent to the dude at this point, especially considering his defense was subpar for long stretches as well as his offense being non-existent.

Green played how rookies usually play. Young players with no experience in the playoffs usually choke. That's just what happens.

Manu I don't see how you can down him in any way. He played his heart out and producedwhen it mattered, without question.

He was pretty average to bad in half the games in the WCF. His Game 6 was pretty damn forgettable, tbh. I love Manu and thrilled he'll be back but it is somewhat sad that it's now undeniable that he no longer is a superstar level difference maker.

@ Father Time

Finally Kawhi, I love the dude but he always has a low/negative +/-

Almost every rookie in history has poor plus/minus numbers. That's nothing to worry about.

Also, I think Tiago needs to be on the table. I am about as big of a Tiago fan as you will find, but I don't see him flourishing here. He definitely has the tools to flourish in the NBA, but I am not sure if that is here and I am not sure the time is now.

With his age and those factors in mind, if a team is pretty high on him and it can net you a solid draft pick I think the Spurs should listen (even if that means taking a step back from a contention standpoint in the next two years- but he was used sparingly anyways and the Spurs still got to the WCF.)

Trading Splitter for a pick would be pretty damn dumb. As Duncan ages, the Spurs will need Splitter to grow into a larger and larger role.

If another team wants to give the Spurs a great deal, I'd listen. Otherwise he's too valuable to give away.

Next season backup PG will be De Colo. If you read what his agent is saying, it's almost sure Spurs will sign him.

I've been following along but I was sticking with who was on the roster, tbh.

Speaking of Europe, who do you like between Diaw and Lorbek now if the money is equal? Until the Thunder series, I was leaning toward Diaw. Now I might have changed my mind.

[Jumi]

ABout Tiago he should start with Duncan and he should play 25+ minutes per game.
If not we should trade him.

He's not a backup center.He never was. He played 2 years here.If he's not ready he never will be ready for Pop so we should explore options to trade him. He has value for sure.

A team's gonna take him and he's gonna go all "Scola" on us!